


Where Talent Went To School

by Theralion



Series: Where Talent Goes To Die [3]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2019-09-26 13:58:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17143052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theralion/pseuds/Theralion
Summary: Author's NoteThis is a brief look at how Miura joined the student council.While at this point, Miura probably can't imagine Mitamura killing anyone, even in the killing game, they've known each other for a longer period than in the killing game (about two months by this point, as opposed to just over a week), so Miura's starting to become aware of Mitamura's shortcomings and more selfish ulterior motives.The omake involves Miura talking with herself about what she realized about Mitamura during the killing game.





	1. Picture Perfect

**Where Talent Went To School**

* * *

**Picture Perfect**

As my alarm clock rang, I woke up and went about my morning routine, but had to stop myself when the time came for me to get dressed. This time, instead of putting on my old high school's uniform, I had to wear the girls' uniform of my new one, since I'd been issued my uniform the previous day. The two uniforms were remarkably similar, and the process of buttoning up my shirt, tucking it into my skirt, tying my necktie and putting on my blazer was a familiar routine for me.

As I looked myself over, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride- regardless of why I was chosen or whether I deserved it, I was now officially a student of the thirty-third class of Talent High School, one of Japan's most prestigious and exclusive schools. It had been months since my interview and formal acceptance, and several days since I'd first arrived on campus, but now, I finally looked like a Talent High School student.

My name is **Kaori Miura** , and I'm known as the **Ultimate Beginner's Luck.** By now, you may have heard about my time in the Talent High School killing school life, but I wonder if you've heard about my days as a student at the school. For a year, I was a student at Talent High School who did everything young people often do in high school- attending classes, making friends and falling in love- unaware of the omens of disaster until it was too late for anyone to stop them.

There were many times during the killing game when I, bereft of my memories, wondered how things might be different if I had my memories. Would I think of my fellow classmates differently? Might I have been aware of some clue to determining the mastermind's identity? Had I known how and why the school had been sealed? The answers to these questions eluded me, but maybe other insights could be gleaned from my memories of my school days.

* * *

After getting dressed, I went to the dining hall. I walked at a leisurely pace, knowing that it wasn't far away. My parents had made sure to teach me the value of leaving enough time for one's morning routine, so I'd never ended up having to dash to school, possibly with a piece of toast in my mouth.

When I arrived, some of my classmates were there already, having already sat down to eat. I'd spoken to most of them at least a few times, at least the ones who were willing to talk with me, and had learned a little about each of them, even if we weren't quite friends yet. Of course, some of us had already started to befriend each other, while others remained lone wolves.

I saw **Reiko Mitamura** , the **Ultimate Proofreader** , helping **Momo Iwasawa** , the **Ultimate Farm Hand** , with her necktie. Iwasawa-san wasn't necessarily a sloppy dresser, but she was more used to the simple and practical outfit of a button down shirt and overalls that she wore on the farm, and to the one-room schoolhouse where she'd went to school before coming here.

"Thank you very much, Miss Mita- I mean, Mitamura-san," Iwasawa-san said. "I'll try to learn it as quickly as possible."

"I am sure you will learn how very soon," Mitamura-san said, "since the school expects you to wear it every day, and you will have no shortage of practice. Until you do, however, I will be more than happy to help you."

"I'll let you know if I need help," Iwasawa-san said. "Did you have to wear a uniform like this, too?"

"Not exactly," Mitamura-san said, "since as you may recall, I wore a sailor fuku with a red neckerchief at the academy I attended. Still, I was expected to wear my uniform well as a student of that school, so I intend to do the same here. No matter where you came from before, you're one of us now, and have all the rights and responsibilities that entails. Do you understand that, Iwasawa-san?"

Iwasawa-san nodded. Virtually everything about going to school here- both the fun parts and the hard parts- was a new experience for her, so she had a certain amount of childlike wonder.

"Yes, ma'am!" Iwasawa-san said enthusiastically.

Iwasawa-san had told me a little about her village, so I had to wonder how she'd fare at a school like this. If nothing else, though, she was willing to learn, and had nothing but respect and gratitude toward those willing to teach her. Maybe those weren't enough for her to get by, but they were what was most important, so for now, I was optimistic.

After getting my breakfast from the kitchen, I headed back to the dining room and looked for a seat. I saw **Yusuke Tezuka,** the **Ultimate Abstract Artist** , sitting with **Shinichi Inoue** , the **Ultimate Linguist** at a small table.

"So we finally get a uniform," Tezuka-kun said. "I was kinda worried about what sort of this school this is, but at least they have the uniform part covered."

"You don't sound entirely happy, Tezuka-kun," Inoue-kun said.

"I'm not," Tezuka-kun said. "A part of me was hoping that we wouldn't have to wear a uniform around here."

"Just two more years," Inoue-kun said, holding up his right index and middle finger said. "Once you graduate, you can go on to the best art schools in the country, which will be a lot more lenient when it comes to the dress code."

Back then, I didn't know that we'd only complete _one_ of those two years before our lives went irrevocably off course. From what I heard, the members of the 32nd class had even gone to the trouble of taking college entrance exams for schools that they'd never get to attend, a particularly cruel betrayal of their hopes. But since I wasn't aware of what would happen in the future, the possibility never occurred to me.

 **Shiro Kurogane** , the **Ultimate Shogi Player,** came in, and, on his way to the kitchen, curtly nodded as I said "Good morning, Kurogane-kun." He hadn't forgiven me for defeating him in a shogi match, but this was an improvement. If nothing else, he'd come to accept that we'd be schoolmates, like it or not, and a bit of civility would help matters.

 **Komaki Katsura,** the **Ultimate Saleswoman** , and **Kuro Akasaka,** the **Ultimate Checkers Player** , sat together at a small table, having just started to eat.

"You look quite nice, Akasaka-san," Katsura-san said, "although I do miss your black shirt- you wore it fairly well."

"Thank you Katsura-san," Akasaka-san said. "Unfortunately, this school doesn't have the same loophole that my old one did. That school only required a 'colorless' button-down shirt with the uniform, and black isn't a color. My senpai was the one who told me about it"

"Ah, I forget that sometimes," Katsura-san said.

"Besides," Akasaka-san said, "I think black and red go best together, as two opposites- one bright and vibrant, the other dark and somber. White's supposed to be black's opposite, but it's a bit too pale and lifeless, so I'm not as fond of it."

I sat by myself at a small table as other students filed in- **Minato Mizuhara** , the **Ultimate Fisherman** ; **Sora Hoshino,** the **Ultimate Astronomer;** **Anzu Sugiura,** the **Ultimate Waitress;** and **Sousuke Kagami,** who refused to discuss his talent. Those four students hadn't hit it off particularly well with anyone at this point, but to my surprise, I saw Sugiura-san sit down across from Mizuhara-kun and start a friendly conversation with him.

Eventually, **Sae Edogawa** , the **Ultimate Mystery Novelist** and my favorite author alive, got her meal from the kitchen and sat down at the same table with me.

"Good morning, Miura-san," Edogawa-san said.

"Good morning, Sensei," I said. "I mean, Edogawa-san."

Edogawa-san laughed.

"Good catch," Edogawa-san said. "We wouldn't want anyone mistaking me for a teacher, would we?'

"I guess not," I said. "But does anyone here happen to have the same name as, much less be related to, one of the faculty?"

Edogawa-san nodded.

"Apparently, there's a girl a year above with the same name as our teacher," Edogawa said. "I don't know for certain, but I think Nagato-senpai is Nagato-sensei's daughter."

"You don't know?" I said.

"Sensei hasn't said anything," Edogawa-san said, "and even if Nagato-senpai is her daughter, she treats Nagato-sensei with the same respect that any other student owes her. It's apparently not entirely uncommon for relatives of faculty members to become students at this school."

I was a bit thankful that none of my relatives were connected to Talent High School- in fact, those in my grandparents' generation who were still alive had barely heard about it. It would likely get fairly awkward keeping things professional with a family member while at school.

"Well, I'm not one of them," I said. "I suppose that's a good thing, right?"

"You could say that," Edogawa-san said. "Like I said earlier, Miura-san, you earned your place in this school. Never forget that."

Lastly, three of our more athletic classmates- **Akito Sakuragi** , the **Ultimate Sprinter** ; **Daichi Fukuda** , the **Ultimate Rock Climber** ; and **Ami Yuuki,** the **Ultimate Cheerleader** \- arrived. Just as they seemed more at home on a track, climbing a mountain or at a football game than they did in a classroom, they seemed more comfortable in their practical exercise clothing than they did in a school uniform.

"I am glad the three of you could join us," Mitamura-san said, "but you may want to eat quickly, since there is not much time until class begins."

"Gotcha, Reiko-chan," Yuuki-san said. "I know I'm not the greatest student, but showing up on time is something even someone like me can handle, isn't it?"

As Yuuki-san went to get her food, Mitamura-san looked to be at a loss for words.

"Is something the matter, Mitamura-san?" I said.

"You could say that," Mitamura-san said. "From the moment I was accepted here, I made it my goal to become the top student in my class, just as I was at my former school. I can hardly fathom that at an institution this prestigious, there are those who would be satisfied with merely showing up."

"Aren't you glad?" Hoshino-kun said. "If class rankings are like a race and your goal is to get first place, then everyone else on the track is your enemy. I'd think Sakuragi would be happy if the last few guys on the track pretty much walked most of the way."

"It wouldn't be any fun that way, Hoshino," Sakuragi-kun said as he came out of the kitchen with his breakfast. "If I know that I'll get overtaken if I let up, I can try my best and make my 'best' even better."

"Exactly, Sakuragi-san," Mitamura-san said. "Not only will knowing that the rest of you are excelling in your studies put me at ease, but it will also encourage me to try that much harder."

"You have a good point," I said, "but while being driven to improve yourself is a good thing, I think a lot of people know that they aren't going to win no matter how hard they try. To them, it may not be about slacking off as much as keeping their expectations realistic and focusing on what they're good at. Surely you've had times when you got matched against someone much better than you, haven't you?"

Mitamura-san sighed and nodded solemnly, making me wonder if I'd forced her to think about something unpleasant.

"I have, Miura-san," Mitamura-san said. "In an actual foot race, while I try to stay fit, I would stand no chance against Sakuragi-san- or Yuuki-san, if the event were girls-only. A part of me finds that- my weakness, my imperfection- difficult to accept, but I know what path I must take- reaching the top of the class and becoming worthy of the name Ultimate Proofreader- so I know what I must do."

We stopped our discussion right there so that people could eat and get to class on time, but I had a lot to think about. Everyone here had a goal that they could strive towards, but for me, the only options available were what I had to "settle for" in order to make a living now that my goal of becoming a writer was most likely unattainable.

* * *

Once we were in our homeroom classroom on the first floor, woman in her mid-thirties, with brown hair in a neat bob haircut and wearing a dark pinstriped skirt suit, walked in. Her name was Yukari Nagato, and she was our homeroom teacher.

"Good morning everyone," Nagato-sensei said. "I'm glad to see you're all dressed in your Talent High School uniforms, because we're going to take your pictures today. Please assemble near the blackboard."

We formed two rows, with half of us sitting in chairs and half of us standing behind the others. The seated students, from left to right, were Fukuda-kun, Sugiura-san, Hoshino-kun, Edogawa-san, myself, Kagami-kun, Akasaka-san, and Kurogane-kun. The students standing, from left to right, were Yuuki-san, Mizuhara-kun, Katsura-san, Mitamura-san, Iwasawa-san, Inoue-kun, Tezuka-kun, and Sakuragi-kun.

"Is everyone ready?" Nagato-sensei said as she took out a digital camera. "Please excuse me if it takes me a few shots to get this right- my daughter was the one who taught me about how to use a digital camera, after all."

Nagato-sensei took several shots of us for the photo, standing for some and crouching for others. Maybe she had a bit of trouble with how to use a digital camera's features, but she seemed to have a relatively decent grasp of photography for an amateur.

"All set," Nagato-sensei said. "Mitamura-san, could you please check my work? The rest of you, please stay put in case we have to take another."

"Yes, ma'am," Mitamura-san said.

Mitamura-san walked behind the students to her right, then checked the photo. Maybe inspecting photographs wasn't strictly part of Mitamura-san's Ultimate Proofreader talent, but as our class representative, and the student Nagato-sensei hoped would become our student council president, she was probably the most reliable person Nagato-sensei had in her class.

"I think this one would work best, sensei," Mitamura-san said, "but any of them would make for a serviceable photo."

"That's good to hear," Nagato-sensei said. "The headmistress will have to approve the photo, but I think she will agree with your choice."

Mitamura-san smiled gratefully. Perhaps even a matter like this was too important to leave solely in a student's hands, but she clearly was glad that her input was valued.

"For now, though, I would like everyone to take a look at this photo," Nagato-sensei said. "Talent High School alumni go on to a variety of careers, working for some of Japan's most prestigious employers or starting their own organizations. No matter where you go or what you do with your life, this will prove that once, the sixteen of you were all students in the same class."

The photo was eventually printed out, framed, and put up in the gallery. At the time, it seemed like nothing more than an ordinary ritual for a new class of students, but once the killing game began and classmates began murdering each other, it served as a bittersweet remind that we'd once been a class. This is the story of our class, and the time we shared together at the same school.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

This is a collection of short stories set while the main cast attended Talent High School, essentially Where Talent Goes To Die's equivalent of Side:Despair. There won't be a specific order to the stories, and each one will come with a warning revealing what it spoils from the main fic. This doesn't really spoil anything; it simply sets the tone for the series, shows when the class photo was taken, and shows the characters getting used to their new school.

You may eventually see more about the students' upperclassmen, who were in their final year of high school when the cast of Where Talent Goes To Die were in the equivalent of their second year. As for what happened to those students... that's a secret for now.


	2. A Very Talented Christmas

**A Very Talented Christmas**

The Christmas of my first year at Talent High School was no ordinary one. While depressing stories were all too common in the news, this holiday season seemed bleaker than ever as the world continued to slide into despair. We didn't understand what was happening until it was too late, and even if we had, we most likely couldn't have done anything to stop it.

At the time, we were simple high school students, imagining that the growing turmoil had nothing to do with us, even though the genesis for the Tragedy had been in Hope's Peak Academy. We looked forward to the holidays, not realizing that the next time they came around, the world would be irrevocably changed. I was no different, since for me, this Christmas had a very special significance.

* * *

Immediately after school let out on Christmas Eve, our class threw a party in our class, on the first floor of the school. Despite Talent High School's reputation, it was a modest affair, with cake, juice and a few holiday-themed decorations. Nagato-sensei even wore a red Santa hat, but pointed out that the fact that her skirt suit matched her hat was nothing more than a coincidence.

Out of consideration for Mizuhara-kun, there were absolutely no nuts whatsoever in the food that was served. Since he knew better than anyone how severe his allergies were, that tidbit about himself was one of the first things he'd told us, after his name and his talent.

I found Mizuhara-kun standing with Katsura-san, off to the side, clearly not enjoying himself as much as he should be.

"Is something on your mind, Mizuhara-kun?" I said.

"Not much, Miura-san," Mizuhara-kun said. "I do feel a bit guilty that you all have to bend over backwards to accommodate me."

"Please don't," Katsura-san said. "Since it's a question of your health and safety, your needs outweigh all of ours."

"She's right," I said. "Besides, it wouldn't be a very good party if we had to exclude you due to something you had no control over."

"I appreciate it," Mizuhara-kun said. "Of course, it's a bit of an adjustment to have people be so considerate of me."

"Well, I guess the only thing you can do is show the same consideration to anyone else who needs it," I said. "After all, the Golden Rule says that you should treat others _the same way you want to be treated."_

Mizuhara-kun nodded.

"That makes sense," Mizuhara-kun said. "I guess no one here wants to eat something that would get them sick- or worse- but they don't want to be left out, either, right?"

"Exactly," Katsura-san said. "Nagato-sensei put on this event for our entire class, including you."

"I understand," Mizuhara-kun said. "Thanks, you two."

Satisfied that Mizuhara-kun was doing better, I rejoined the others, and saw Mitamura-san standing with Yuuki-san- or rather, Ami-chan.

"Hi, Mitamura-san, Ami-chan," I said.

"Hey, Kaori-chan," Ami-chan said.

"Merry Christmas, Miura-san," Mitamura-san said. "By the way, I did not know that you called Yuuki-san by her given name- I thought Edogawa-san was the only one with whom you were that close."

I was a bit surprised that Mitamura-san was surprised, since it was clear she was quite far out of the loop. Not only did I call Sae and Ami-chan by their first names, but I also did the same for **Sayuri Sasaki** , the **Ultimate Manga Artist** , albeit using "-san" out of respect for Sayuri-san being older.

"Yeah, Kaori-chan's been doing it for a couple weeks," Ami-chan said. "I'm really glad, since it feels like we've gotten a lot closer, even if she's not as close as she is to Sae-chan."

"Well, Sae's.… special," I said, "but I'm glad to call you one of my closest friends here."

"Me too, Kaori-chan," Ami-chan said. "I'm really happy, too."

Mitamura-san nodded. While she was a serious person by nature, something seemed a bit forced about this gesture, and I couldn't help but wonder if I'd offended her.

"I'm sorry, Mitamura-san," I said. "I didn't mean to snub you."

"Me neither, Reiko-chan," Ami-chan said. "I think of you as a friend, too, honest."

"There is no need to apologize, Miura-san, Yuuki-san," Mitamura-san said. "For the sake of my duties here, I must keep a certain distance from you all. I can understand if you would be closer with others who more easily confide in you."

"That's... kinda rough," Ami-chan said.

"Your concern is touching, but ultimately misplaced," Mitamura-san said. "While I am expected to serve as a leader and do my utmost for those in my community, I also derive great fulfillment from it. I could not have achieved what I did without making sacrifices, but I believe those sacrifices were well made."

Mitamura-san then softly smiled.

"Still," Mitamura-san said, "despite our differences, Yuuki-san, I am flattered that you would think of me as a friend. Perhaps I cannot fully reciprocate the sentiment, but I do appreciate it."

"Gotcha," Ami-chan said. "All I can say is- you're welcome, Reiko-chan."

I nodded to concur. Ami-chan and Mitamura-san were polar opposites in almost every regard, so I could hardly imagine them getting along. Not only had they managed that, but they were as close to being friends as Mitamura-san's personality would allow, so perhaps it wasn't unreasonable to expect that someday, they'd be actual friends.

After splitting off from the two girls, I saw Sakuragi-kun, standing with Fukuda-kun. The two boys seemed to be surveying the classroom, seeing who was spending time with whom. By this point, apart from the two of them, as well as Inoue-kun and Tezuka-kun most of us had started talking with people we hadn't usually spent with- I saw Sae chatting with Akasaka-san, Kurogane-kun talking with Sugiura-san, Hoshino-kun chatting with Iwasawa-san, and Kagami-kun off by himself.

"Hey, Miura," Sakuragi-kun said. "Did any of the girls here actually manage to get Christmas dates?"

"A couple," I said. "Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering if anyone here got lucky, if you know what I mean," Sakuragi-kun said. "All the girls I talk to seem more interested in furthering their talents than any romance."

"And you aren't?" Fukuda-kun said. "I don't see you taking any time out of your busy practice schedule to try to woo any of the girls, since I spend most of that time with you."

Sakuragi-kun smiled wryly. I'd heard about his desire for a girlfriend before, as well as his lack of success. While it wasn't fair to assume he wasn't serious about it, like Fukuda-kun said, he hadn't put nearly the same level of effort into it as he had into running, or even his schoolwork. He wasn't necessarily lazy, as much as his teachers thought otherwise, but he knew where his priorities lay.

"Good point, Fukuda," Sakuragi-kun said. "You're right- I do want to make the most of my youth, but there's a part of me that would also like to settle down with a nice girl. I was just curious about Miura, since she seems like she'd gotten lucky."

"I'll... tell you if I do." I said.

"You heard her, Sakuragi," Fukuda-kun said. "I guess she's not ready to talk about it."

"Right," Sakuragi-kun said. "I guess that if I got a girlfriend, I wouldn't be yelling from the rooftops, so I get why you wouldn't be completely open about having one, either."

I nodded appreciatively.

"I know," I said. "Thank you both; I appreciate your being so understanding."

While my gratitude was sincere, I couldn't help but wonder whether Sakuragi-kun's choice of words were deliberate. He wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, and had a tendency to put his feet in his mouth from time to time, but perhaps he knew more than he let on, even if he hadn't intended to admit it.

Moments later, I heard Nagato-sensei clap her hands.

"May I have your attention, please?" Nagato-sensei said. "I must leave fairly soon, since I have an evening church service to attending. I'll leave you all to have fun here- just clean up after yourselves, all right?"

"Yes, ma'am," Mitamura-san said.

"It looks like that's my cue, too," Iwasawa-san said. "I'll go get changed."

Nagato-sensei and Iwasawa-san left, and after a few moments, Sae did, too. Knowing the time had come, I bid farewell to the others and returned to the dorms.

* * *

As I returned to the dorms I saw Iwasawa-san leaving her room, wearing a long-sleeved red dress and carrying her belongings in a nice purse. Whille her outfit was far from black-tie level, it was conservative, tasteful and probably the best-dressed I'd seen her out of her uniform.

"Good evening, Miura-san," Iwasawa-san said. "I'm sorry I don't have time to talk; I'm on my way out."

"Are you heading to church?" I said.

"That's right," Iwasawa-san said. "Nagato-senpai invited me to come with her."

"Ah," I said. "She's Catholic, isn't she?"

Iwasawa-san nodded, picking up on the subtext I'd unwittingly given. While I still didn't know what denomination of Christianity Iwasawa-san followed, the tenets seemed to be more Protestant than the Catholic faith that Nagato-senpai had been born into.

"She is," Iwasawa-san said, "but she also believes that what unites us is more important than what divides us. She was quite glad to meet a kohai who shares her faith, but she also doesn't judge those of us who don't share it.

"That's quite commendable," I said.

Shortly aftewrard, both the Nagatos I knew- my senpai and my teacher- came to pick up Iwasawa-san, and she left with them. As they departed, I waved goodbye and wished the three of them a Merry Christmas.

Not long afterward, I saw Kagami-kun leave the party and return to his room. Considering that he hadn't spoken with anyone the entire time I was there, I wondered why he'd stuck around longer than I had.

"Good evening, Miura-san," Kagami-kun said.

"Good evening, Kagami-kun," I said. "You're leaving early, too, aren't you?"

"Perhaps," Kagami-kun said, "since events like this aren't my cup of tea. I can't speak for anyone else, but I suspect my reasons are different from Iwasawa-san's, yours... and Edogawa-san's."

I paused for a moment. While it was possible that Sakuragi-kun had simply chosen his words poorly, Kagami-kun's mention of Sae's name was too deliberate and too calculated to be anything less than an intentional drop of a hint.

"Do you... know about us?" I said.

"I'm pretty sure everyone does," Kagami-kun said. "It's not as though I've talked to everyone here, but if I've learned about it, I don't think there are too many here who haven't."

It wasn't hard to see what Kagami-kun was talking about. One time, I'd drawn a diagram of all sixteen people in my class, drawing lines between each of the people who had a somewhat close relationship, whether as friends or possibly something more than that (for example, Sae and I)- Kagami-kun was one of the few people who didn't have a line connecting him to anyone. However, when I added a second set of lines, showing the people who talked with each other on a regular basis (for example, Mitamura-san and I weren't quite friends, but we did talk somewhat often), I noticed that any two given individuals in this class had, at most, three degrees of separation, even without counting Sae and I. Because of that, any rumors would spread like wildfire, assuming everyone hadn't picked up on the rumor at the exact same time, so I had no reason to doubt what Kagami-kun had said.

"I see," I said. "Well, if you know that much, then I suspect you also understand that Sae and I aren't quite ready to talk about it openly, and we'll decide when we are."

"Got it," Kagami-kun said. "Merry Christmas, Miura-san, and I hope you have a nice evening, too."

"Merry Christmas, Kagami-kun," I said.

As Kagami-kun retired to his room, and I returned to mine.

* * *

I sat in my room for a few minutes, since I'd agreed to have Sae over. Before long, Sae knocked on the door, and I immediately opened it to let her in.

"Merry Christmas, Kaori," Sae said. "I suppose it's time for our 'private after-party' to begin, isn't it?"

"It definitely is," I said. "Come on in and make yourself at home."

I ushered her inside and shut the door behind me. As soon as Sae entered, I noticed she was holding her hands together behind her back, a bit like if she'd been arrested and handcuffed, and I could tell that she was hiding something. Moments later, Sae produced a red hand-knitted scarf from behind her back.

"Here's your present," Sae said. "I hope your expectations aren't too high; I only started learning how to knit the scarf a month or so ago."

"It's fine, thank you," I said. "If anything, you're probably better at making one than I am, since I started even more recently. Here, have a look."

I then got out my present, which also happened to be a scarf.

"It looks like we were thinking the same thought," Sae said.

"It seems that way," I said. "I was looking for something that would be within my ability to make, wouldn't cost too much and wouldn't require skills I don't possess. As they say, the thought counts, right?"

"It certainly does," Sae said. "I was thinking about writing a love poem, but I was never any good at poetry. The few attempts I have are either exceptionally corny, don't follow the basic rules of poetry, or both."

"Now you've got me curious," I said. "I actually would like to see them some time."

Sae and I shared a laugh, but after a while, Sae's expression turned concerned, likely matching mine.

"'Is something on your mind, Kaori?" Sae said.

"There's something I think you should know, Sae," I said. "According to Kagami-kun, everyone else in our class knows that we're going out with each other."

"But they haven't said or done anything with that knowledge just yet?" Sae said.

"Not that I know of," I said. "Sakuragi-kun and Fukuda-kun dropped some hints earlier, and Kagami-kun told me straight out that everyone else probably knew, but I don't think they're talking about it openly."

"That's a relief," Sae said. "I suppose that means that they've accepted our relationship, or at least as much as we could expect them to. If nothing else, I can live with the status quo."

I nodded. There were many things we were afraid of- our families or friends disapproving, possible backlash against us, or Sae perhaps losing readers- but not having to confront them for now was a relief. Of course, in hindsight, I would have chosen being disowned over witnessing the collapse of civilization itself, and the deaths of billions of people.

"On a somewhat related topic, Sae, I'm curious about something," I said. "How are things going with your sister and her boyfriend?"

"Fairly well," Sae said. "Father still disapproves of their going out and would prefer that they break up, but my sister doesn't take it too hard, even if her boyfriend is not entirely keen on visiting our home."

"I see," I said. "I guess we're not the only ones who have to deal with opposition to a relationship."

Sae nodded, having heard about how my paternal grandmother had disapproved of her daughter-in-law, my mother, before. Apparently, her father had similar difficulties with his father-in-law when he sought his blessing... and then came to understand the older man's perspective when his elder daughter started dating.

"True," Sae said. "There are times when my sister wishes that our father and her boyfriend would get along, but in the end, she says that being in a relationship makes her happy."

"I'm glad, too," I said. "There may be many people out there who don't approve of us, but right now, no one can see, much less complain about what we do."

I leaned in and kissed Sae on the lips, and as I did, she passionately embraced me. As for the rest... well, the most I'll say is that we kept our clothes on. Perhaps our classmates had some idea what we were doing at this moment, but a moment like this was meant to belong to the two of us, and no one else. Neither of us knew where the future would take us, but for now, we cherished our time together, and hoped we could spend Christmas together next year.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

I trimmed down this idea from its original size, which originally contained the days leading up to Christmas.

This side story reveals that Kaori and Sae were, in fact, in a relationship during their time at Talent High School (before having their memories erased), and the reason why the mastermind didn't put Kaori's sexuality in her weakness notepad was out of a (largely justified) belief that everyone already knew about it.


	3. The Last Student Council

**The Last Student Council**

At lunch one day in the middle of May, Mitamura-san invited me to sit with her. Once I got my food and joined her at the small table, I saw that Iwasawa-san and Katsura-san were already there.

"Thank you for coming, Miura-san," Mitamura-san said. "I trust you have heard about my candidacy for student council president, have you not?"

"I have, Mitamura-san," I said. "I wish you the best of luck, even though you aren't running against anyone."

"I am grateful for your kind words," Mitamura-san said, "but this conversation is about _you_. If I am elected, I would like you to join the student council."

I paused to think for a moment. On the one hand, neither my talent nor my grades were outstanding enough that the student council would beat down my doors to recruit me. On the other hand, not only would it be rude to reject the offer out of hand, but I also had to admit that I was curious about why the student council had approached me.

"I'm open to the idea," I said, "but I'd like to know a little more first about why you want me to join and what you want me to do."

"To be honest, we are somewhat shorthanded," Mitamura-san said, "and only the four of us at the table comprise the student council- assuming you join, of course. Iwasawa-san will serve as a secretary, while Katsura-san will double as the treasurer and public relations officer. Should you join, I would like you to be vice-president."

I thought for a moment about why the other two had been chosen. The articulate and responsible Katsura-san seemed like a good fit for public relations, but I suspected that Iwasawa-san had mainly been chosen because she was willing to help. Iwasawa-san was well-mannered, hard-working and willing to learn, but she had no experience in student government and struggled with experience. I probably wasn't Mitamura-san's first choice, but for some reason, she'd made me her right-hand woman.

"Vice president?!" I said, somewhat startled. "I'm glad you trust me, but that's quite a repsonsibility. Are you sure I'm the best person for the job?"

"If anyone is better suited, they have not come forward," Mitamura-san said. "I appreciate that you understand the gravity of your responsibility, but while the student council's duties must be taken seriously, the organization is less powerful than you may have imagined."

"I haven't been on a student council before, so I'm not sure if you're right about me or not," I said.

"Neither have I, Miura-san," Iwasawa-san said. "Mitamura-san, could you please share what Nagato-sensei told you?"

Mitamura-san nodded.

"I spoke with Nagato-sensei about the student council earlier," Mitamura-san said. "She was quite honest that the organization has little power, and only handles small matters, such as student-run events. It primarily serves to give students some experience in student government that will serve them well in the future."

"Perhaps you could try thinking of it this way, Miura-san," Katsura-san said. "When an employer announces a job opening, it is not simply out of charity- they have position that must be filled and duties that must be performed. I can understand if you decline, but the student council is in need of capable and dedicated members, even if those people have not served before."

I nodded. Ordinarily, the responsible thing to do would be was to refuse any task I believed beyond my ability, but if they needed help and believed I was the one who could give it, then perhaps I should help.

"You can count on me," I said. "Just let me know if I'm not doing a good enough job, or you want someone else to do it. I'll step down if you find a better candidate."

"Understood, Miura-san," Mitamura-san said. "As Katsura-san said, we are shorthanded at this point, so I am grateful for any help."

"I'll do my best," I said. "By the way, you said Katsura-san was doubling as PR rep and treasurer, right?"

"I am," Katsura-san said. "My skills are more suited toward the former, so Mitamura-san and I decided that after filling the vice president position, we would try to fill the treasurer position."

"I'll talk with Sae, then," I said. "Maybe she'll be interested in helping out."

Mitamura-san furrowed her brow, as though Sae was not one of her top choices.

"Please do," Mitamura-san said. "If Edogawa-san accepts, I will speak with her about the position. Please keep in mind, though- I would like you to treat each other with appropriate respect while student council is in session."

We spent the rest of lunch talking about the position and what I would need to do. Part of the explanation was Mitamura-san appropriately attempting to drive home the seriousness of what I was getting involved in, and the other part sounded more intimidating than it actually was. I left the table feeling confident I could handle the task, and felt the same way about Sae.

* * *

I spoke with Sae about it over dinner, sharing some of what I'd learned.

"While I'm a bit concerned that Mitamura-san isn't entirely happy about having me," Sae said, "I would be willing to help out."

"Thank you, Sae," I said. "I'd be glad to work with you."

"Same here," Sae said, "but just so we're clear, should I call you 'Miura-san' while on student council business?"

"Mitamura-san said yes," I said. "I doubt she'd object too strongly if we called each other by our first names, but I don't mind being a little more formal at meetings. It's only been a week or two since we've started calling each other 'Kaori' and 'Sae,' after all."

Sae nodded.

"Then we should do as Mitamura-san says, _Miura-san,_ " Sae said. "Student council's in session for only a few hours a week, after all. Besides, I call you 'Miura-san' when talking with the teachers, after all."

"I do the same with you, _Edogawa-san_ ," I said. "Still, what if things end up getting awkward between us?"

"Then I'll step down," Sae said. "I'm mainly joining as a favor to you, so I'd see leaving as the same thing. If Mitamura-san fires me, or chooses not to hire me, I'll accept her decision. Does this sound fair enough?"

I paused to think, then nodded. While I'd have to get used to treating Sae as a colleague rather than just a friend, I trusted her and believed she was a capable individual, so I believed she'd be a good choice.

"It does," I said. "Welcome aboard, Sae."

"Thanks, Kaori," Sae said, as we sealed the deal with a handshake.

* * *

Shortly afterward, I stopped by the rec room and found Katsura-san playing checkers with Akasaka-san.

"Oh, hello, Miura-san," Katsura-san said. "Do you need something?"

"I just wanted to pass along a message to Mitamura-san," I said. "Sae- I mean, Edogawa-san- said yes. She would be willing to serve as treasurer."

"That's good," Katsura-san said. "By the way, it's perfectly fine if you want to call her what you always do around us- right, Kuro-chan?"

Akasaka-san smiled and nodded. I thanked both of them, then sat down to watch the game.

"By the way, Akasaka-san," I said, "did Katsura-san ask you to join?"

"Komaki-chan did mention she was joining the student council," Akasaka-san said, "but she didn't ask me to come with her."

"That's right," Katsura-san. "I'm sure Kuro-chan would have asked to join if there was a position open, and Mitamura-san would probably have taken her on, but I'm glad Kuro-chan didn't ask."

"Why not?" I said.

Katsura-san sighed.

"There's a few reasons," Katsura-san said. "First, I find it easier to keep my friends and professional associates separate. It's easy enough to call Kuro-chan 'Akasaka-san' at work, but there are far more complex situations that could arise. What if I had to give Kuro-chan an order she disagreed with? What if we had a personal dispute and it ended up affecting how we worked together? I'd rather not have to deal with situations like that."

Akasaka-san nodded.

"Besides, by the time Komaki-chan joined, Mitamura-san had already recruited Iwasawa-san," Akasaka-san said, "so I didn't think there were any jobs left that I could do. I mean, if I did a bad job and Komaki-chan was in charge, she'd have to fire me, right?"

"That _would be_ true," Katsura-san said, " _if_ I had that authority. Of course, if Mitamura-san asked for my opinion and I believed that you couldn't perform your duties, then I'd recommend that you be let go... regardless of how I felt about it. I'd rather not have to make that decision, though."

"I understand," Akasaka-san said, "which is why I'd rather not put you in a situation like that."

I paused to think for a moment as Akasaka-san and Katsura-san played a few moves. Technically, Akasaka-san could avoid such a situation by doing her best and becoming a valued member of the student council, but I didn't say that. If Akasaka-san doubted her own abilities, she wouldn't find that convincing, and if she'd made up her mind, I had no desire to convince her.

"Sae and I feel the same way," I said, "but we've worked things out in advance."

"I'm glad," Katsura-san said. "If you can balance your friendship with your duties, that's best for all concerned."

"Thank you, Katsura-san," I said, "but I'd like to let you know that I think of you and Akasaka-san as my friends, too."

Katsura-san smiled. I wasn't as close to her as Akasaka-san was, and she wasn't as close to me as Sae was, but she recognized and appreciated the sentiment.

"I appreciate hearing that, Miura-san," Katsura-san said, "and I feel the same way. I also like Edogawa-san and Iwasawa-san, and respect Mitamura-san, even if she isn't open to being friends with her colleagues. All I want is to be able to stay on good terms with you all once our tenure in the student council is finished."

"So do I," I said.

I sat and watched the game to its conclusion- Akasaka-san won once again. As one-sided as the matches often were, Katsura-san enjoyed them, so I could understand why she'd fear her friendship ending and not being able to play with Akasaka-san again. On the other hand, I believed that if their friendship was strong, then even if they had a fight, they could work out their differences and be friends again.

* * *

The next morning, I met up with Iwasawa-san in the dining hall. After we exchanged our "Good morning" greetings, Iwasawa-san got right to the point.

"Katsura-san passed your message along to Mitamura-san," Iwasawa-san said. "She'd like to meet with Edogawa-san."

"That's good," I said. "I hope it goes well, and Mitamura-san doesn't think I just want to bring a friend on board."

"Not at all, Miura-san," Iwasawa-san said. "In fact, that's part of the reason why she asked me to join."

"What do you mean?" I said.

Iwasawa-san paused for a moment.

"Mitamura-san didn't say it outright," Iwasawa-san said, "but I think she offered me a position on the student council because it would help when I get a job someday. I'm so far behind her and the others who have studied and prepared all their lives, so I need all the help I can get, don't I?"

I was tempted to say "yes," but didn't say that outright, not when I could give a better answer.

"That's just how things are," I said. "College admissions and job applications are very competitive processes, so you'll need every edge you can get. That's probably part of the reason why Mitamura-san is so hard on herself- she wants to outdo everyone else, so she pushes herself harder than they do."

"I guess," Iwasawa-san said. "It's different where I come from- while farming's hard work and you have to do your best, it's a cooperative endeavor to feed the community, so people help each other. Because of that, I'm grateful that Mitamura-san would help me, even though I'd become her rival."

I had to question the veracity of Iwasawa-san's last statement. While we hadn't had any exams yet, I'd heard that Iwasawa-san struggled in most of her subjects. Perhaps Mitamura-san had her eyes on Tokyo University, and she could probably get in, but Iwasawa-san didn't stand a chance... assuming she wanted to go to college, after all, so Iwasawa-san was no rival to Mitamura-san. Mitamura-san setting aside time to help a fellow student was a kind act, but I wasn't sure it was completely altruistic.

For now, though, I put the thought aside as Sae, Mitamura-san and Katsura-san joined us, and Sae officially joined the presumptive student council. All that was left was to be elected, but no one else was stepping up to oppose Mitamura-san... and no one ever did.

* * *

At the start of June, we cast our votes for president. Mitamura-san ran unopposed, and got most of the votes, with only a handful of the people abstaining. When I saw Hoshino-kun and Kurogane-kun on election day, I could tell that they were two of the people who hadn't voted for Mitamura-san.

"Congratulations on your victory, Madam Vice President," Hoshino-kun said sarcastically.

"Thank you, Hoshino-kun," I said, "but the race hasn't been decided yet."

"Well, if Mitamura doesn't win, who will?" Hoshino-kun said. "One of her nonexistent opponents? A write-in candidate? Don't make me laugh. I can't choose who wins, but I can decide not to be a part of this farce."

I was tempted to suggest that Hoshino-kun could have run for president if he'd wished, but thought better of it. Hoshino-kun was widely disliked, for obvious reasons, so if he somehow beat the odds and won the race, he would be short on people who wanted to work with him. If he were the only candidate, perhaps it would inspire someone to run against him so that he wouldn't get elected- and that person would probably win.

"What about you, Kurogane-kun?" I said.

"I can't say I'm surprised," Kurogane-kun said. "Not only are you willing to settle for such a hollow Ultimate title, but you're also willing to take part in this student council."

"I believed they needed help," I said, "and they believed I could serve their needs. It may not be a very important job, but if Mitamura-san believes I can do it well, I will do so."

"That probably says more about Mitamura than it does about you," Kurogane-kun said. "She sees this as a means to an end of getting into a good college, and probably wants to staff it with as many people as possible so she'll have all the perks of being president and not have to do as much work."

"What makes you so sure of that?" I said.

Kurogane-kun shrugged.

"Because that's what I'd do if I were in her position," Kurogane-kun said. "My family expects a great deal of me in my shogi career, so perhaps they'd expect me to get into a good school if I were aiming for a traditional career. Being student council president would probably help, especially since if I don't get the job, the person who did might compete with me for the school of my choice."

It made sense that Kurogane-kun would come to that conclusion. Not only were he and Mitamura-san similar, but he also most likely excelled in reading his opponents while playing shogi.

"I see," I said. "Then what would you do if you were in my position, and Mitamura-san approached you, asking for you to be her vice president?"

"I'd probably take the job," Kurogane-kun said. "It does seem important, so it would probably help me out down the road. I might not be naïve enough to believe that Mitamura's completely altruistic, but that doesn't mean I judge her unfavorably for looking out for her best interests- only for pretending that she isn't."

"Same here," Hoshino-kun said. "Just because I think everyone here is a selfish bastard at heart, the three of us included, doesn't mean I get all high and mighty about any time someone acts like a selfish bastard."

"I understand," I said. "I do notice that the two of you seem to be getting along pretty well."

"If you could call it that," Hoshino-kun said. "Kurogane and I aren't too big on the idea of friendship, but he's good for when I want to talk about something and cut through the BS."

Hoshino nodded.

"Well, I guess that works," I said. "I'll be going now."

I then started to leave, but stopped when I heard Kurogane-kun's voice.

"One more thing, Miura," Kurogane-kun said. "I'm still a bit bitter about you beating me, but in hindsight, I no longer blame you for taking advantage of a second chance to get in here. I'd probably have done the same thing in your situation."

"And I probably would have been a little frustrated if a novice had beaten me at something I'd worked at all my life," I said, "although I would have tried to learn from the loss and get even better."

"That's what I'm doing," Kurogane-kun said. "I'll hone my skills and perhaps one day, become skilled enough to defeat you in your prime."

With a "Good luck, Kurogane-kun," I said goodbye. Perhaps there were some individuals in this school who would never like or fully agree with each other, but we could understand each other's perspectives and learn to accept our differences.

* * *

A few days later, around the time we switched to summer uniforms, the results came in. Every single vote cast had been for Mitamura-san, and with a handful of exceptions, everyone in the Main Course had voted- the Reserve Course had their own student council. While Mitamura-san was well-respected, and probably would have won anyway, her almost unanimous victory was due to a lack of real opposition, rather than her charisma. Still, while It wasn't an overwhelming mandate, the student body had made its choice and accepted Mitamura-san as its leader.

Mitamura-san chose not to celebrate her victory. Even disregarding the circumstances, she saw the presidency as a significant responsibility, and believed that our work was just beginning. As admirable as her work ethic was, I had to wonder- when would she be satisfied with her accomplishments?

That wasn't to say that we didn't do anything special. The five of us stood together, in the student council room, posing for a picture with our summer uniforms. A few days later, our portrait was installed, replacing the photo of the old student council. Perhaps someday, we'd forget what we'd done for the school, but as long as the portrait stood in the office, it would serve as a memento of Talent High School's last student council.

* * *

 

* * *

_Omake_

I had a dream in which I spoke with a future version of myself, who'd apparently lost her memories of her time at Talent High School and participated in a "killing game" with my- or rather, _our-_ classmates. While the concept was difficult for me to fathom, this person understood my skepticism, so we instead chose to talk about what we knew.

"So, Kaori," the other me said, "I take it you knew Mitamura-san, too?"

I nodded. The two of us had decided to call each other by our first names, since it seemed most appropriate. "Other me," seemed too impersonal, and I found it bizarrely formal to call myself "Miura-san." Since I'd technically known her all my life, I thought it was perfectly fine to be familiar with her.

"I did, Kaori," I said. "The polite, perfectionist honors student who happens to be the Ultimate Proofreader?"

The other me sighed.

"She wants to be seen that way," the other me said, "even if that's not the kind of person she actually is. She's helpful, but part of it is so that her classmates will appreciate and respect her, rather than genuine benevolence."

"I know," I said. "Still, she does have a fair amount of pressure to succeed- to meet her family's expectations and outdo her rivals for college admissions or jobs. Of course, both of those probably pale in comparison to the killing game."

The other me seemed to accept that point. I didn't always agree with Mitamura-san, but I did try not to judge her.

"So you've realized that, too," the other me said. "She was fairly guarded, so that aspect of her wasn't obvious to me at first."

"Me neither, Kaori," I said. "The Mitamura-san I knew didn't confide in others easily, so it's not as though she told me- I just noticed after spending a long time with her."

"Same here," the other me said. "Speaking of things you noticed, did you know she really likes yaoi? She's a big fan of Breakneck Canyon!"

"WHAT?!" I said.

The other me chuckled. Apparently, this would be quite a story, and not just because Mitamura-san and Sayuri-san had been schoolmates once. I'd certainly enjoy hearing it, even if I had trouble believing the other me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note
> 
> This is a brief look at how Miura joined the student council.
> 
> While at this point, Miura probably can't imagine Mitamura killing anyone, even in the killing game, they've known each other for a longer period than in the killing game (about two months by this point, as opposed to just over a week), so Miura's starting to become aware of Mitamura's shortcomings and more selfish ulterior motives.
> 
> The omake involves Miura talking with herself about what she realized about Mitamura during the killing game.


	4. Meet and Greet

**Meet and Greet**

_Miura's POV_

On the first Saturday after I arrived at Talent High School, just after I got my uniform, the school held its annual meet and greet between the two classes in the gym after school let out. Attendance was optional, but was strongly encouraged. Since it was a school program, we were expected to wear our uniforms, although there wasn't much point in going back to our dorms to change.

Once school ended for the day, half the class- all the girls besides Sugiura-san, as well as Inoue-kun, Sakuragi-kun, Tezuka-kun and Fukuda-kun, headed over to the event, and met up just outside the gym.

"Looks like most of us are here," Yuuki-san said, "but we're missing some people."

"I don't think it's too surprising that not everyone wants to come and meet Class 32," Fukuda-kun said. "They're our upperclassmen, so not only will we not be sharing classes with them, but they'll be graduating in March... unless a couple of them get held back."

Fukuda-kun spoke to the root of the problem- it was hard to become friends with someone if you hardly ever saw them. In fact, the few upperclassmen I interacted with were either in the same club as me, or knew my older sister.

"That is unlikely, Fukuda-san," Mitamura-san said. "While some people have been expelled from Talent High School, as recently as two years ago, virtually no one has been held back. One member of last year's graduating class had been held back in the past, but before she joined the school."

"OK, so none of the guys in Class 32 will get held back," Fukuda-kun said. "I guess that proves my point."

"Yeah, but I think there's a bigger problem here," Tezuka-kun said. "Most of the guys who didn't show up- oh yeah, and Sugiura- don't really get on with many people in our class, so it's a bit much to ask them to go out of their way to meet a bunch of other people."

While less than a week had passed since the start of the semester, it was long enough to reinforce our first impressions of others and help establish relationships. Some people, like Mizuhara-kun, Kagami-kun and Sugiura-san tended to keep a certain distance from others. Others, like Kurogane-kun and Hoshino-kun, rubbed others the wrong way with their unpleasant personalities. As premature as it might be, I had some idea of those who might become my friends, those who would be acquaintances, and those I'd likely never get along with.

"It cannot be helped," Mitamura-san said. "That may be for the best, though, since only those who can mind their manners should come. Please keep that in mind, Yuuki-san."

"Yes, ma'am," Yuuki-san said. "Don't worry, Reiko-chan; I know I have to call the folks from Class 32 'senpai.'"

Mitamura-san let off a sigh, as if to say "Where do I even begin?", but I faintly smiled. While Yuuki-san's friendly and casual nature fell short of Mitamura-san's extremely high standards of decorum, she was capable of showing respect to others, addressing our homeroom teacher as "Nagato-sensei, "Sensei" or a non-ironic "ma'am." Perhaps if I was three or more years older, she'd treat me similarly.

"I must admit that I'm not sure whether I should be here, either," Iwasawa-san said, "since the concept of a senpai-kohai relationship is new to me."

"You're not alone, Iwasawa-san," Inoue-kun said, "since most of the people I met when I went to school in America couldn't get their heads around that, either. Even the idea of calling you, a schoolmate, what amounts to 'Miss Iwasawa' is a bit weird to them, since they use first names."

"Oh, I'm familiar with that, Inoue-san," Iwasawa-san said. "With the exception of my family and a few close friends, who call me 'Momo,' I'm 'Miss Iwasawa' to most people, at least until I get married. Since students from different age groups attend the one-room schoolhouse together, but mostly treat each other as equals, this is a bit of an adjustment."

I had to admit that some of the nuances of the senpai-kohai dynamic could be confusing. For example, if I'd stayed at my old high school, I'd be "Miura-senpai" to this year's class of first-years, but my older sister, an alumna, would be called "Miura-san." If I'd transferred to a school besides Talent High School at the start of the year, the first-years would also be expected to call me "senpai," even though I'd be just as new as they were. I was expected to call Miharu Mihama, a twelve-year-old member of Class 32 "Mihama-senpai," but because I was older than Mihama-senpai, she would also have to use polite speech on me.

"I know, Iwasawa-san," Mitamura-san, "but I believe that you should just do as I taught you and put your best foot forward. This is a learning experience for you, and if you explain yourself to those they meet, I am certain they will be tolerant of any faux pas you may make. This is meant to help us learn about each other, and if they come to learn more about you, it will have served its purpose."

"Thank you very much," Iwasawa-san said. "When you put it that way, I can understand."

While I agreed with Mitamura-san's remarks, I realized that they didn't quite mesh with what I'd heard her say when we were first introduced to each other. She'd graciously accepted Katsura-san's business cards, and complimented her appearance, saying that "There is never a second chance to make a first impression." It was only natural that someone as out of her element as Iwasawa-san was would stumble a few times, but Mitamura-san struck me as the kind of person who would never forgive herself if she ended up embarrassing herself.

That said, I could see where Mitamura-san had been coming from. In the days leading up to my Talent High School interview, I'd gotten a haircut, would have worn a suit if they hadn't asked me to wear my uniform, and met with my guidance counselor to do a mock interview. Little was at stake at this meet and greet, but I wanted to make a good impression, so I checked myself over in the mirror, before turning to Edogawa-san for a second opinion.

"So, Edogawa-san," I said. "How do I look?"

"Perfect, Miura-san," Edogawa-san said.

"Thanks," I said. "It took me a while to get the hang of tying this tie, but doing it every day helped me learn how. I can't help but wish that women had to wear ties, so I'd have a use for this skill."

The Miura family had a yearly tradition in which we took a photo at the start of the school year- my parents wore suits while my sister and I wore our uniforms. In the photo we'd taken at the start of my first year of high school (my sister's last), Mom joked that she was the only one who wasn't wearing a tie, then put one on to rectify that. Mom looked quite nice, so a part of me hoped she'd wear the tie to work, assuming her employers would approve.

"They do if they're uniformed police officers," Edogawa-san said. "I think you'd look wonderful as a policewoman, Officer Miura... assuming you don't make detective."

"I'm glad you think so, Officer Edogawa," I said, "but who says I even have what it takes to join the police?"

"I think it's possible," Edogawa-san said. "Talent High School's titles recognize potential in one area; they never say what you _can't_ do. Nagato-sensei has asked us to spend the next few months thinking of alternative careers outside of our talents, and I'm sure you can come up with at least two or three viable options. After all, it's not as though everyone here has a career lined up."

I nodded, thanked Edogawa-san and set out to meet more of my talented schoolmates. Every time I talked with an Ultimate and learned about their struggles, weaknesses, quirks and other facts that weren't immediately obvious, I learned a lot about them and sometimes learned a little about myself.

* * *

Inside the gym, there were already a few of our upperclassmen milling about, all wearing the same uniforms as ours. A rough headcount indicated that even counting our classmates, roughly half of Class 32 had decided to come to the meet and greet. While most of the main course's student body had shown up, the gym was large enough that we could spread out throughout it in pairs and small groups, all having separate and private conversations.

I easily recognized the first one I talked with, Akira Azuki, the Ultimate Actress. She looked somewhat boyish as a result of her short hair, and I might even have mistaken her for a boy if not for her title and the fact that she was wearing a skirt (albeit seemingly reluctantly).

"Welcome to the party," Azuki-senpai said. "I'm Azuki, the Ultimate Actress."

"I'm Kaori Miura, the Ultimate Beginner's Luck," I said. "It's nice to meet you, Azuki-senpai."

We bowed to each other and said, "It's nice to meet you." While Azuki-senpai's speech was informal and to-the-point, she wasn't one to let a basic social courtesy go unreciprocated.

"So, Miura," Azuki-senpai said. "What's it like to see the Ultimate Actress in the flesh, and find out that she's a year ahead of you at school?"

I paused for a moment, thinking my answer over carefully. Rudeness was inadvisable, but since Azuki-senpai seemed like an honest person who said what was on her mind, it wouldn't be a good idea to flatter her, either.

"It's an honor," I said, "since you don't often get to meet someone like you. That said, I realize that you're more than just an actress, even if I don't know much about you apart from your talent, so I'd like to get to know you better."

"Good answer," Azuki-senpai said. "I don't know if I can just spill my guts and tell my life story in one meet and greet session, but I'm always glad to see someone who's willing to talk to me as a person."

"Thank you very much, Azuki-senpai," I said.

Azuki-senpai nodded, but remained silent for a moment, scrutinizing me carefully.

"I'm curious about one thing, though," Azuki-senpai said. "Are you always this polite?"

"I am to people like you, Senpai," I said. "Since you're my senpai and are older than me, I owe you at least this much respect."

"Gotcha," Azuki-senpai said. "And what if I was in Class 33 and you were in Class 32?"

"Then I'd call you 'Azuki-san' instead," I said. "As for you, I'd appreciate being called 'Miura-senpai,' but wouldn't make too big of a deal about it."

Some people would probably think I was a bit of a pushover, but I thought of it differently. Good manners were important, but mainly as a way to help smooth over otherwise difficult social interactions and please others. Demanding that other people show you the same amount of respect would defeat the purpose, to put it mildly. I appreciated it when people used honorifics after my name, but I also had to admit that I was happy that Yuuki-san was willing to address me as a friend would.

"Fair enough," Azuki-senpai said. "As you've probably figured out, I was in your shoes this time last year, meeting everyone from Class 31 who bothered to show up and meet us. Pretty much everyone from Class 32 who's attending this year also went last year."

"I thought so," I said, knowing that I'd meet Azuki-senpai's classmates sooner or later. "What were the people from Class 31 like?"

"They were pretty friendly and down-to-earth," Azuki-senpai said. "After all, a year before we met them, they were also new to this school. If this school was like a normal high school, you'd probably have had a chance to meet them last year."

"True," I said. "I have an older sister in that year. I'm sure you two would hit it off well."

Azuki-senpai nodded.

"Anyway, you don't have to worry," Azuki-senpai said, "since I'm not the type to lord over you guys just because I got here a year before you. You don't _have_ to call me 'senpai,' but since you'll probably do so anyway, do what you want."

"Thank you very much, Azuki-senpai," I said. "I'd like to get going and talk with some of the others, so please excuse me."

"No problem, Miura," Azuki-senpai said. "It was nice meeting you."

I said goodbye to Azuki-senpai and went on my way. The meet and greet was off to a good start, so I felt a little better about meeting everyone else from Class 32 who'd bothered to show up.

* * *

I saw a dark-haired girl with glasses talking with Edogawa-san.

"Mitamura-san?" I said reflexively, before realizing that while this girl looked like Mitamura-san, her hair was in a different style. Mitamura-san wore hers in a bun, while this girl wore hers in a side plait.

"Not quite," the girl said. "My name is Sayuri Sasaki, and I'm the Ultimate Manga Artist. I do see how I look like Mitamura-san, though."

"Ah, I'm sorry, Sasaki-senpai," I said. "I'm Kaori Miura, the Ultimate Beginner's Luck. It's nice to meet you."

We exchanged bows.

"So, Miura-san, Edogawa-san," Sasaki-senpai said, "is it all right if I use your first names?"

"Please feel free to, Senpai," I said. "Yuuki-san calls us that, too."

Edogawa-san nodded and Sasaki-senpai smiled.

"Certainly, Kaori-chan, Sae-chan," Sasaki-senpai said. "I met Ami-chan earlier. While I did gently suggest that she should ask permission before using first names, I do agree that she's easy to get along with."

"True," Edogawa-san said. "I suppose Mitamura-san declined your request to use first names?"

"She did," Sasaki-senpai said, "partly because Mitamura-san is a stickler for good manners, and partly because she keeps others at a distance. She did, however, agree to my request to just call me 'Sasaki-san,' and I'd appreciate it if you could, too; I don't care about distinctions between juniors and seniors."

"Then we'll do just that, Sasaki-san," I said. "After all, this event's about breaking down the barriers between our classes.:

Sasaki-san smiled, and said "Thanks, Kaori-chan."

"Anyway, Sae-chan," Sasaki-san said, "I've actually started reading your books in the very limited free time I have. I have to admit that I'm not familiar with the mystery genre, but you do seem to have earned your title."

"Thank you, Sasaki-san," Edogawa-san said. "I'm glad you're taking an interest in my work. While I'm interested in yours, I haven't had an opportunity to read it, since my father disapproves of your content."

"That's unfortunate, but not surprising," Sasaki-san said. "Since many same-sex relationships are portrayed as tame and chaste, I personally believed that the sex was an important part, and not just because a lot of people like to see it."

While I was only an amateur writer, even I knew that producing fiction involved balancing staying true to your artistic vision while pleasing your audience. Not many people liked a cynical and soulless cash grab (at least among those who recognized them for what they were), but while pandering wasn't a good idea, you had to aim to make something that people would enjoy.

"What about you, Kaori-chan?" Sasaki-san said.

"My parents wouldn't approve, either," I said, "but that's not the only issue. To be honest, I found the concept to be daring, but I wished that the main couple was a pair of women, rather than men."

"Oh," Sasaki-san said. "Does this mean you're a lesbian?"

I turned bright red and shook my head.

"N-Not necessarily," I said. "I've always liked strong female protagonists, like Edogawa-san's Aiko Aizawa, so I thought you could do a good job of it."

I felt even more embarrassed at making such a flimsy excuse. While I did honestly like good female characters, the fact that I hadn't read Sasaki-san's work gave me little reason to think she could pull it off.

"Fair enough," Sasaki-san said. "If you're not comfortable talking about it right now, that's fine. Of course, when you're ready, I'm willing to listen, and I'm sure Sae-chan would be, too."

Edogawa-san nodded in agreement, and I thanked her and Sasaki-san. While I still felt uncomfortable about admitting that I was attracted to girls, and worried about the fact that it didn't seem to be going away as I neared adulthood, I felt like I could trust them, or at least count on them not to judge me.

* * *

After Sasaki-san set off to meet the rest of our class, Edogawa-san and I split up. While we weren't close friends just yet, we saw each other every day, so we decided it was best to focus on meeting those in the class ahead of us.

I found Iwasawa-san talking with a girl who didn't even come up to her shoulder. I thought she was the young high schooler I'd heard about, but she seemed a bit too tall for that.

"Hello, Miura-san," Iwasawa-san said. "I'd like to introduce you to Chiyuri Nagato, the Ultimate Tech Support and Nagato-sensei's daughter. Nagato-senpai, this is my classmate, Kaori Miura, the Ultimate Beginner's Luck."

Nagato-san and I bowed to each other.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Nagato-senpai," I said. "I've heard about you."

"The pleasure is mine, Miura-san," Nagato-senpai said. "I was just talking with Iwasawa-san about a variety of things, such as how to use modern technology. Mo-I mean, Nagato-sensei and I are taking her to Mass tomorrow."

Iwasawa-san nodded. While she didn't seem like she was a Catholic, I could tell that she, a relative outsider, appreciated anyone making the effort to include her.

"Yes, that's true," Iwasawa-san said. "Mitamura-san offered to take me clothes shopping at the nearby mall that afternoon. Luckily, I should be done by then."

"Ah," I said. "I didn't think Mitamura-san was the kind of girl who went clothes shopping."

"She isn't," Iwasawa-san said. "She does, however, strongly believe in the importance of looking nice, since she's a disciplined and respectable person. When I told her that apart from church, I mainly wore overalls, she proposed looking into buying nicer clothing. She even offered to buy me a few outfits of her choice."

I wondered why Mitamura-san didn't suggest that Iwasawa-san learn how to shop online, but then I remembered that Iwasawa-san didn't even have a computer. Besides, it wouldn't be a good idea to overwhelm her with too much barely a week after she arrived.

"I understand where Mitamura-san is coming from," Nagato-senpai said, "but what you wear outside of school is your decision. Nagato-sensei generally wears a suit when teaching class, but _Mom_ dresses more casually when outside of school, often wearing jeans."

"What are those?" Iwasawa-san said.

"Basically, a pair of overalls without the bib or the suspenders," I said. "You'd probably enjoy wearing them."

"Well said, Miura-san," Nagato-senpai said. "In addition to my school uniforms, I've got a couple pairs of blue jeans and overalls in my closet."

Iwasawa-san's eyes lit up. While she liked the idea of wearing a school uniform, that didn't mean she liked the uniform itself.

"Sounds nice," Iwasawa-san said. "I'll probably buy a pair of jeans when I go shopping tomorrow."

"Anyway, I'm all for trying new things and broadening your horizons," Nagato-senpai said, "but I also think you should wear what you want to wear, within reason. I realize that this is a new experience for you, but it's perfectly fair to do what feels natural to you."

"I will," Iwasawa-san said. "Thank you very much, Nagato-senpai."

"You're welcome, Iwasawa-san," Nagato-senpai said. "It's been a while since I've gotten to play the senpai, and I'm always glad to offer guidance."

I could see where Nagato-senpai was coming from. Two years ago, she'd become a new student at her high school. Last year, she'd transferred to Talent High School and started anew there, being a kouhai to Class 31. Next year, she would either go on to become a first-year at college, or a new hire in the workforce. She seemed like a good senpai, so it seemed almost a waste for her to spend three years in a four year span as a newcomer.

"Well, I'll be going now," I said. "It was nice meeting you, Nagato-senpai."

"One moment, please, Miura-san," Iwasawa-san said. "I forgot to mention this earlier, but Kurogane-senpai wanted to talk with you."

"Thank you for letting me know," I said. "I'll keep an eye out for him."

I decided to get going for now, in case Kurogane-senpai wanted to see me, and because there were still several people who hadn't met me just yet..

* * *

I found Kurogane-senpai before long... or better said, he found me.

"Are you Miura-san?" Kurogane-senpai said.

"Yes, I'm Miura," I said. "You must be Hikaru Kurogane, the Ultimate Go Player."

"That's right," Kurogane-senpai said. "Iwasawa-san described you to me, but I heard about you when you defeated my cousin Shiro."

"I... I see," I said. "I'm sorry."

I bowed in apology. My parents stressed that apologizing didn't entitle me to forgiveness, nor should it, but it was a way of expressing my remorse. Whenever my sister or I misbehaved, Mom and Dad gave us the opportunity to apologize, and showed leniency based on how sincere our apology was. We usually got at least some punishment, but honest repentance tended to shave at least a day off our grounding.

Of course, judging by Kurogane-senpai's expression, he wasn't in the mood to punish me. In fact, it was quite the opposite.

"No, I should be apologizing," Kurogane-senpai said. "I'm sorry if Shiro has been rude to you."

Kurogane-senpai then bowed to me deeply.

"Maybe he has, Kurogane-senpai, but I actually understand how Kurogane-kun feels," I said. "His reputation took a hit after his loss to me, a complete novice at the game."

"That may be true," Kurogane-senpai said, "but I believe that he can bounce back from that a stronger player, and hope he will come to understand that someday.

"If he can, I respect that," I said. "The way my talent works is that the more I learn about the game, the less my Beginner's Luck helps me. By the time it abandons me completely, I'm still just a novice who can't compare to how much the professionals have done."

"Not many people can," Kurogane-senpai said. "Shiro has been an amazing player for as long as I've known him, and he soon got to the point at which I couldn't keep up with him. I'm proud of him, but couldn't help but feel inadequate, which is why I don't play shogi anymore."

"I hadn't heard that you used to play shogi," I said. "In fact, I'm a bit surprised at someone who's mastered a game like go having trouble with something else."

"It's only natural," Kurogane-senpai said. "In any sort of pursuit, be it a career or a hobby, you try your best and get as far as your ability takes you, a bit like an arcade game that doesn't have the option to continue. My goal is to get a 'high score,' or whatever's the equivalent, so while I've enjoyed success thus far, I won't rest on my laurels just yet."

That was an apt way of putting it. The few times I'd gotten a high score at the arcade (usually over the default high score), I was determined to go further, and make my best score even better. While I wasn't near being the best at anything I did, and generally had to work hard just to do well, I saw ambition and the desire to better oneself as positive traits that fostered success.

"I see," I said. "I suppose it only makes sense that Ultimates work hard at their given pursuits, too."

"Everyone who accomplishes anything of meaning does," Kurogane-senpai said. "I'm sure that if you choose a pursuit and stick with it, you'll have a result you can be proud of."

I thanked Kurogane-senpai for his kind words, since while he didn't know me, they were an undeniable truth. Perhaps not all my pursuits would bear fruit, but someday, I could find something I was "meant" to do.

* * *

I saw Yuuki-san talking with a young girl who seemed like she was young enough to be in her last year of elementary school or her first year of middle school..

"Hey, Kaori-chan," Yuuki-san said. "Have you had the chance to meet Miharu-senpai yet?"

"Not yet," I said, before turning to the young girl. "I'm Miura, and it's nice to meet you."

"Likewise, Miura-san," Miharu-senpai said. "My family name is Mihama, but you can call me by my first name if you so desire. It's nice to meet you"

We bowed to each other.

"It's nice to meet you too, Mihama-senpai," I said. "I'll consider your offer, but you seem quite polite, so I may as well respond in kind."

"Thank you very much, Miura-san," Mihama-senpai said. "There is a reason for why I act the way I do. Since it is unusual, albeit not unprecedented, for someone my age to come to this school, I must make an effort to act maturely in order to fit in."

I thought back to some research I did back when I first heard about Mihama-senpai. Two other young children Mihama-senpai's age- a boy and a girl- had been admitted to Talent High School at eleven and graduated at thirteen; the boy, the Ultimate Child Prodigy, had been in Class 5, while the girl, the Ultimate Mathematician, had been in Class 18.

"Or else what, Miharu-senpai?" Yuuki-san said. "Are they gonna kick you out if you act like a little kid?"

"Nothing so drastic, Yuuki-san," Mihama-senpai said, "but it is possible to no longer belong in a given organization even if you have not yet been removed. I do not believe that bad grades or bad behavior will cost me my place in this school, but I must be mindful of how others see me"

Yuuki-san sighed.

"I thought so," Yuuki-san said. "You remind me of Reiko-chan."

"Who?" Mihama-senpai said.

"She means Mitamura-san," I said. "I don't know if you've met her, Mihama-senpai, but she's a serious girl with dark hair and glasses. She looks like Sasaki-san."

Mihama-senpai's eyes lit up. I didn't know if Mihama-senpai remembered Mitamura-san's first game, or if Mitamura-senpai had even bothered to provide it, but my clarification was enough to jog her memory.

"Oh, her," Mihama-senpai said. "I heard she has a reputation as a mature, serious and intelligent young lady, but why did you bring her up, Yuuki-san?"

"Pretty much for those reasons," Yuuki-san said, "but also 'cause Rei- er, Mitamura-chan doesn't ever lighten up. Sure, she'll probably graduate from here with honors, get into a good college and get a good job, but what if she doesn't manage that? It seems like she'd be crushed if she didn't get what she wanted."

"You're probably right, Yuuki-san," I said, "but it's only natural that after investing so much time and effort into her dream, Mitamura-san would have an emotional investment in it, too."

"I know, Kaori-chan," Yuuki-san said, before turning back to Mihama-senpai. "Maybe it's just me, Senpai, but I know I'll have to give up being a cheerleader someday, just like my big bro will have to quit football after he graduates from college. I'm all for you taking your studies seriously, but I also think people like you and Mitamura-chan should loosen up and enjoy your youth a little."

Mihama-senpai paused to consider Yuuki-san's advice. While Yuuki-san wasn't the greatest student, and would probably agree that Mihama-senpai was much smarter, Yuuki-senpai still had several more years of life experience, so Mihama-senpai could benefit from listening to her.

"Thank you for the advice, Yuuki-san," Mihama-senpai said. "I do, in fact, try to relax around my friends. Perhaps I can count you two among them as well."

"That'd be awesome!" Yuuki-san said. "You seem really polite, so I'm sure we'll get along just great."

I nodded in agreement. It was a bit too soon to commit to anything, but Mihama-senpai had made a good first impression on me... and not just by trying to seem mature.

Before long,Mitamura-san arrived.

"You must be Mihama-senpai," Mitamura-san said. "I am Mitamura, and I hope Yuuki-san is not causing you too much trouble."

"It is a pleasure to meet you Mitamura-san," Mihama-senpai said as the two bowed, "and no, she is not. The two of us and Miura-san had an enlightening conversation about acting one's age."

"Is that so?" Mitamura-san said, at which point Yuuki-san and I nodded. "Then that is good."

"Yep," Yuuki-san said. "Speaking of which, I've been thinking; would you like to be called Mitamura-chan as a compromise? Or how about Reiko-san?"

Mitamura-san sighed, seemingly amused.

"Please call me whatever you want, Yuuki-san," Mitamura-san said. "I may not approve of the familiarity you show me, but I know better than to try to stop you."

"All right, 'Reiko-chan' it is," Yuuki-san said. "I'll leave you to get to know Miharu-senpai."

As Yuuki-san left before Mitamura-san could say "That is Mihama-senpai to you," I also excused myself. While Yuuki-san and Mihama-senpai seemed like polar opposites, one being lighthearted and familiar, the other being serious and formal, they seemed to get along well because they respected each other's differences. Perhaps someday, Yuuki-san and Mitamura-san could have a similar friendship.

* * *

While Yuuki-san introduced herself to Azuki-senpai, I happened upon Katsura-san, who was offering business cards to two of her seniors. 

"Thank you very much for your business card, Katsura-san," one girl said, "but I think Himeno is the one you should be giving it to."

"Oh, I certainly plan to give it to Himemiya-senpai," Katsura-san said, "but since I plan on giving them to all my classmates as a matter of course, I wanted to give one to you too, Tsukimura-senpai."

The other girl, whom I assumed was Himemiya-senpai, nodded approvingly.

"That's a good approach to have," Himemiya-senpai said. "Many people hope to ingratiate themselves with me in order to gain my father's favor, but I alone cannot do much for them, even if I would want to. In fact, I am the youngest of my siblings, so I will not inherit the family business. I hope that is not a problem for you."

Katsura-san shook her head.

"Not at all, Senpai," Katsura-san said, "since I'm not going to inherit my father's company, either. Not only am I his youngest daughter, but he doesn't simply plan to pass down his company to his children."

"Ah, interesting," Himemiya-senpai said. "I'd like to hear more about your siblings."

As Katsura-san and Himemiya-senpai started on an in-depth discussion of their families, I quietly took my leave, planning to come back and speak with Himemiya-senpai when she was not occupied.

* * *

I saw Inoue-kun talking with the twins, whom I'd heard about in advance. Some of the popular entertainers in our school had a lot of media exposure even before they first got scouted, and Dragon Girl was no exception.

"Hello, Miura-san," Inoue-kun said as I walked up, "I'd like to introduce Tatsuki and Taiga Tachibana, the Ultimate Guitarist and Songwriter. Tatsuki-senpai's on the left and Taiga-senpai's on the right... right?"

"You're right, Inoue-kun," Tatsuki-senpai said. "It's nice to meet you, Miura-san. You can use our first names if you'd like to keep us separate"

I nodded, but knew that the twins probably didn't know my first name at this point.

"Thank you, Tatsuki-senpai," I said. "You can call me 'Kaori' if you'd like."

"I'll keep that in mind, Miura-san," Tatsuki-senpai said. "For now, I'm a bit more comfortable sticking with your last name, which I do for pretty much everyone besides Taiga."

I nodded to concur. While I didn't call any of my friends by their first names, I was perfectly fine with being called by my first name. Part of this was because it was easier to go along with it than to raise an objection, and another part was because I didn't have to worry about how the other person would have to say about my granting them permission.

"Anyway," Taiga-senpai said, "we were just talking with Inoue-kun about how things were in America. Did you say that I'd call my sister 'Tatsuki' rather than 'sis'?"

"That's right," Inoue-kun said. "You would use 'sis' sometimes as a term of endearment, though, but it's not as though you'd have to acknowledge Tatsuki-senpai as your older sister."

"Ah," Taiga-senpai said. "And I suppose that you'd call us by our first names, even if we weren't twins?'

"Right again," Inoue-kun said. "Not only are Americans more casual about first names, but they don't really recognize seniority. When I was in the Gay-Straight Alliance back in middle school, I called the president , who was a year older than me,'Val'."

"I see," Tatsuki-senpai said. "Personally, Inoue-kun, it's a bit hard to imagine me using first names on many people besides Taiga, but I can see the appeal. It got confusing when one of our middle school teachers called us 'Tachibana' even though we were in the same class."

"That happened sometimes," I said. "In my first year of middle school, there was a Tanaka-kun and a Tanaka-san- respectively a boy and a girl- in my homeroom. It's a good thing my teachers were polite enough to use honorifics on their students."

My mom wasn't thrilled with the teachers who called her daughters "Miura," saying it was their prerogative as authority figures, but saying that if she were a teacher, she would be more respectful of her students. Since Mom used "-san" on virtually everyone who didn't warrant a particular job-related title, she and Nagato-sensei would probably get along very well, if only because they were naturally polite.

"Well, things might get awkward with Nagato-sensei," Taiga-senpai said, "since she'd use 'san' on both Tanakas. That said, we don't have much to complain about with her. Nagato-sensei's strict but fair, and while she demands respect, she also treats her students like adults."

As we talked about Nagato-sensei for a little bit, I couldn't help but think ahead to the future. Two years from now, I would graduate from this school. Another two years later, I would legally be an adult. Two years after that, I'd graduate from college and enter the workforce. Six years was a long time, but every two years, I'd take another significant step toward maturity and independence, so I appreciated that Nagato-sensei was willing to consider me mostly there.

* * *

Soon afterward, I found Tsukimura-senpai by herself. I wasn't sure if she'd talked to almost everyone else, or if not many people were interested in getting to know her, but I eagerly seized the opportunity to make her acquaintance.

"There you are, Tsukimura-senpai," I said. "I was hoping to talk to you earlier, but you were busy."

"Ah, I think I saw you earlier," Tsukimura-senpai said. "I think it was when Himeno and I were talking with Katsura-san, um...

"I'm Miura," I said. "Kaori Miura. It's nice to meet you, Senpai."

"Likewise, Miura-san," Tsukimura-senpai said, and we bowed to each other, "but I must confess that I'm surprised that you're so interested in meeting me, the Ultimate Handmaiden."

"In other words, a maid?" I said. "Even if you don't think it's all that impressive, I think it's amazing that you spent your entire life mastering this talent."

"Thank you very much," Tsukimura-senpai said. "Of course, everyone else can say the same."

I sighed and shook my head.

" _Almost_ everyone," I said. "Did you hear about why I got into Talent High School?"

"No, I have not," Tsukimura-senpai said, "nor do I understand your 'Ultimate Beginner's Luck."

I paused, realizing that I'd have to start from the beginning.

"It's basically what the name implies," I said. "For the first few times I play a board game, I'm incredibly lucky, and am able to defeat champion players. However, the effect wanes over time, as I practice and gain more experience, and completely deserts me while I'm just an amateur. If I had to graph it, my Ultimate Beginner's Luck would be an exponential decrease, whereas my actual skill would be a slow and steady increase, with my performance being based on the higher value."

Tsukimura-senpai nodded.

"So if I understand correctly," Tsukimura-senpai said, "it would be like if, on your first day on the job, you could provide service fit for the Emperor, but by the end of your first week, you couldn't wash a dish without breaking one?"

"It wouldn't apply to maid work, Senpai," I said, "but yes. It gives me fifteen minutes of fame, but not enough to actually make a career out of. Because of that, I realize I'm different from the rest of you who are naturally talented."

While Tsukimura-senpai politely waited for me to finish speaking, she didn't seem convinced. After another moment, she shook her head, then spoke.

"I don't think so, Miura-san," Tsukimura-senpai said. "I may have a 'talent' for maid work, but I've been trained in it since I was young. Himeno discovered that she had a knack for archery, but worked hard to train herself in it because it was the one thing she saw of as 'hers'. The title you got from Talent High School doesn't necessarily reflect your potential, nor do all the people who failed to get a title necessarily lack any potential whatsoever. As for what that potential is, it's up to you to figure out."

"You're right," I said. "Thank you very much, Tsukimura-senpai."

"You're welcome," Tsukimura-senpai said. "Personally, I may ultimately choose a path other than being a maid- in fact, Himeno hopes I will. I've brainstormed more than a few ideas, from putting my cleaning skills to use as a custodian to possibly settling down and becoming a housewife."

"Is that so?" I said. "Well, I'm looking forward to seeing what you pick."

I said goodbye to Tsukimura-senpai for now, with a lot to think about. I'd once thought that the Ultimates had a clear path ahead to whatever career goals they had in mind, whether mundane or ambitious, but Tsukimura-senpai didn't seem to have made up her mind just yet. If she had the courage to seriously consider stepping off the path she'd always known, then maybe I could at least make an effort to choose a career for myself.

* * *

Before long, the event started winding down. I took the chance to say hello to Higurashi-senpai, our student council president.

"Why hello," Higurashi-senpai said. "I'm Nobuhiro Higurashi, the Ultimate Public Speaker and president of the Talent High School student council."

"I'm Kaori Miura, the Ultimate Beginner's Luck," I said. "It's nice to meet you, Higurashi-senpai."

We bowed to each other.

"By the way," I said, "would you prefer to be addressed by name or by your title?"

"Either's fine, Miura-san," Higurashi-senpai said, "but to be honest, I won't be student council president for much longer, so you may as well get used to calling me by name. Part of the reason is that the senior class usually cedes the position to the junior class."

I nodded. Even in a school as prestigious as Talent High School, third-years still had to worry about college entrance exams, so they might not have time for student government.

"And the other part?" I said.

"To be honest, I don't feel as though I accomplished as much as I could have," Higurashi-senpai said. "Schools are run by adults that are generally ten to twenty years older than those they teach, if not more. While the youths do need adult guidance, they can also use a representative among their peers, one that they chose themselves. This not only gives them some say in their education, but also help prepare them to participate in democracy."

"That sounds like a good approach, Senpai," I said, "but why aren't you satisfied?"

Higurashi-senpai sighed.

"Because not many people participate," Higurashi-senpai said. "Since I was the only candidate for student council president, I won by default. Having the entirety of the electorate choose you is a meaningless victory if no one else participates."

"Technically speaking, they _do_ have a choice," I said, "to vote for you or not vote at all. It wouldn't change who ended up becoming president, but if only a few people voted for you, then you wouldn't have any real authority. But I do agree that they deserve at least one alternative, as long as that person's competent and trustworthy."

"Quite right," Higurashi-senpai said. "I've heard that many people are apathetic toward politics because they view all the politicians as concerned only with their own gain and out of touch with their constituents. As long as your class has at least one aspiring student council president who's good for the role, I guess I can live with that."

I agreed, before stepping aside to let Fukuda-kun introduce himself to Higurashi-senpai. For now, I decided it was best not to mention that I was not much of a leader. There were others, even in our small class, that were more suitable, and perhaps we'd find the president we needed.

* * *

As people started leaving, Himemiya-senpai walked up to me.

"Hello, Miura-san," Himemiya-senpai said. "I noticed you were talking to Kanae earlier."

I paused a moment, as I struggled to recall Tsukimura-senpai's first name. One downside of calling each other by our last names was that we had trouble remembering people's first names.

"Ah, Tsukimura-senpai?" I said. "I wanted to get to know everyone in Class 32, so it's only natural for me to talk to her."

"I see," Himemiya-senpai. "Does the fact that she's my maid have anything to do with it?"

"Why would it?" I said. "The only reason I can think of is that she mastered her craft and earned her spot in this school."

"That's good to hear," Himemiya-senpai said. "Most people would either conclude that Kanae was beneath their notice, or only spend time with her out of an obligation to be nice to their lessers, something that implicitly acknowledges such people as below them."

I shook my head.

"Well, I don't think of it that way, Senpai," I said. "My mom taught me to be polite to _everyone_ , regardless of age, gender, social status or whatnot. If Tsukimura-san were my maid, Mom would ask me to treat her the same way, not out of obligation, but because she couldn't think of any reason why Tsukimura-senpai wouldn't deserve it."

Himemiya-senpai smiled.

"Neither can I," Himemiya-senpai said, "nor can my classmates. You probably met Akira earlier, a blunt and brutally honest girl who talks to all of us as her equals. She may not have much in common with you in terms of personality, but she doesn't treat Kanae any differently, either, which is the first requirement I have for anyone who wishes to befriend me."

"There are others?" I said.

"Indeed, Miura-san," Himemiya-senpai said. "It's a bit premature to call us friends just yet, but if you're willing to get to know Kanae, I'm willing to get to know you. Let's talk again some time."

"Yes, let's, Himemiya-senpai," I said. "Thank you very much."

Before long, Tsukimura-senpai arrived. When she did, she and Himemiya-senpai said goodbye to me, and left together, resulting in my having a great deal to think about. Some social relationships were inherently unequal, but in other cases, that inequality could be overcome. I still felt a bit out of place among the talented Ultimates, but none of them seemed to feel the same way- even the senior class, whom I owed respect for being a year ahead of me, seemed to consider that respect anything from "nice but not mandatory" to "completely unnecessary." If that was true, then perhaps I could rethink my relationship with the classmate I was closest with.

* * *

Eventually, everyone started to leave. While the event was scheduled to last for an hour, people were free to come and go at their discretion, and most of them had already done so.

I found Edogawa-san standing at the door to the gym, waiting for me. As I walked over, we sarted to leave together.

"So, Miura-san," Edogawa-san said. "How did you find Class 32?"

"They were surprisingly approachable," I said. "I personally thought they'd be a bit more intimidating, but they- or at least the ones who showed up- are relatively friendly."

"I guess being a senpai means different things to different people," Edogawa-san said. "Mitamura-san would be a strict yet kind senpai, and would probably treat her kouhais the same way she treats Iwasawa-san, seeing herself as the teacher and them as the students. Sasaki-san, however, would prefer that her kouhais treat her like a schoolmate who just happens to be a grade above them."

I agreed, and also noted that the mentorship aspect of the relationship was also a factor, one that depended on the kohai. Iwasawa-san needed a lot of help with technology, fashion and probably schoolwork, which Mitamura-san and Nagato-senpai could probably give her. Sasaki-san, however, didn't have much to teach me- unlike her assistants, I wasn't an aspiring manga artist- which probably was part of the reason why she was more casual with me.

"Speaking of different meanings," I said, "I was a bit surprised she was so eager to ask us permission to use our first names, just after meeting us."

"Unlike Yuuki-san, who didn't even ask before calling us by our names?" Edogawa-san said with a grin. "How long is she supposed to wait?"

"I don't know, Sae," I said. "Personally, I've used last names and '-san' on my friends- all of whom were girls- simply because I never worked up the courage to ask them to use first names. I probably would have said yes if they'd asked me, but..."

I trailed off, only noticing my mistake when it was too late to correct it. Since I valued my budding friendship with Edogawa-san, I was afraid of offending her.

"Can I take that to mean that you'd be fine with my calling you 'Kaori'?" Edogawa-san said. "Because I'm _more than_ fine with you using my first name."

"I'm glad to hear that, Sae," I said. "And yes, you can call me 'Kaori.' I was just so nervous about taking such a big, if seemingly minor step that I didn't think to ask."

"That makes two of us, Kaori," Sae said. "But I'm glad you took that step with me."

At the time, I didn't have any idea what Sae was talking about. She was popular and well-respected, and Mitamura-san was the only member of Class 33 (besides Hoshino-kun and Kurogane-kun, obviously) who had a less than favorable view of her, but I didn't yet understand that this didn't equate to being friends with everyone. Despite that, I was able to understand and appreciate what this gesture of friendship meant, and went back to the dorms with a spring in my step.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

This chapter is the first in which the members of Class 32 and Class 33 interact with each other. There may be spoilers for Where Talen Goes On Vacation from this point forward.

One thing I've noticed is that the female characters in both of my fics tend to be somewhat nicer and more sociable than the males, which is why more of the former attend the event.

The omake shows Sasaki, Miura and Edogawa pondering what might happen if Class 32 and Class 33's relationships were reversed.

* * *

**Omake**

Sae and I had lunch with Sayuri-san one day, some time after switching to calling her by her first name. She was probably the one person outside of our class we saw the most often, although I did see Himemiya-senpai and Tsukimura-senpai from time to time.

"I'm curious, you two," Sayuri-san said. "How do you think things would be different if I and my classmates were Class 33, while the two of you and your classmates were Class 32?"

"Let me see..." I said. "I guess Sae and I would start out calling you 'Sasaki-san', just like we used to. After all, it seems like the most polite way to address a female kohai."

"I agree," Sae said. "Depending on how things progressed, we might eventually switch to calling her 'Sayuri-chan.' That said, Sayuri-san, I doubt you'd be so eager to call us 'Sae-chan' and Kaori-chan', would you?"

Sayuri-san shook her head.

"Not at all," Sayuri-san said. "I'd stick with 'Edogawa-senpai' and 'Miura-senpai' a first, and subtly drop hints that you could call me by my first name. Whether you'd be willing to let me call you by yours, however, would be up to you."

"So in other words, Sae and I hold all the cards just because we're a year older?" I said.

Sayuri-san solemnly nodded. Despite her friendly and egalitarian nature, she was significantly more formal and respectful when it came to those who were above her- her teachers, the students of Class 31, her editors and older manga artists.

"Indeed," Sayuri-san said, "which is why I'm not fond of relationships between senpais and their kohais. In those cases, the kohai chases after the senpai, who somehow chooses to recognize that one person, out of their many admirers. It seems like there would be a severe power imbalance, unless the terms of the relationship were renegotiated."

"You're right about that, Sayuri-san," Sae said, "but really, I think any relationship can naturally change. Just as strangers can become friends, people in a senpai-kohai relationship can come to see each other as equals, friends and perhaps lovers."

"Good point, Sae-chan," Sayuri-san said. "My dad was my mom's senpai at school, and they did come to love each other, even if there were... other problems with their relationship. Likewise, Kanae-chan started out as Himeno-chan's servant, but was able to accept Himeno-chan's friendship. Of course, if Mitamura-san were my senpai, she'd be quite cross with me if I didn't show her the proper respect."

I noticed that this was one of the few times Sayuri-chan had ever talked about her parents, and she'd changed the subject just as quickly as she'd brought it up. That said, there was something more relevant on my mind. Sae had been the person my age whom I'd admired most, but over time, I'd gradually started to see her as a classmate and a friend. Perhaps someday, our relationship would evolve even further, and a part of me hoped that it would.


End file.
